Besides the battle to increase the number of women Members of Parliament through nomination, there is a groundswell of female interest in competitive politics.

Nowhere is this more evident than in Kenya’s most expansive and populous province, Rift Valley. So far, at least 60 women have declared their candidature for parliamentary seats. A similar number is seeking election of civic leadership positions.

It is unprecedented in a region whose voters have been perceived as being steeped in a patriarchal tradition and culture that does not encourage women to take up political leadership.

Yet, Rift Valley can be surprising in its decisions and voter trends. It is the one place where political surprises are the norm rather than the exception. Two cases come to mind.

Mrs Tabitha Seii, Kenya’s former High Commissioner to South Africa and Mrs Alicen Chelaite personified the struggle to place the region’s women in leadership. In 2002, despite the region’s loyalty to then President Daniel arap Moi’s Kanu, two women would be elected to the ninth parliament – Mrs Chelaite in Rongai and newcomer Linah Jebii Kilimo in Marakwet West on the then opposition National Alliance Rainbow Coalition.

Mrs Jayne Kihara would join them in the august House when the Naivasha seat fell vacant after the death of her husband, Mr Paul Kihara in 2003. Today, Rift Valley is only matched by Eastern Province in the number of women MPs in contributes to Parliament – three elected and the Nominated MP Esther Keino of Kanu.

Mrs Kilimo and Mrs Chelaite’s victories broke the stranglehold of male MPs in their constituencies and challenged the predominant view of the conservative nature of the resident Kalenjin community – where men set the agenda and the rules, and women are expected to obey without question.

Mrs Kilimo’s three-year stint as a Cabinet minister, and Mrs Chelaite’s continuing service as an assistant minister have raised their status and visibility and weaned their communities to the reality that women can be capable leaders even at the national level. Mrs Kihara’s appointment as an assistant minister and her position as key Narc Kenya official can only further make more voters comfortable with women in power.

Management and peacemaking
Pundits say Mrs Chelaite would start off as a favourite in the race to recapture her seat because of the way she has focused on landlessness, lack of water, and the problems in the sisal estates. Commended as a good manager who has ensured transparency in the allocation and use of the Constituency Development Fund in consultation with the electorate, Mrs Chelaite is proud of her record of supporting 129 projects under the fund.

Dr Margaret Jesang Hutchinson, the executive director of the Education Centre for Women in Democracy in Nairobi, says Mrs Kilimo is likely to make a comeback in this year’s elections because of her consistency and credibility in negotiating and securing peace between her Marakwet community and the neighbouring Pokot.

Dr Hutchinson, whose organisation sponsored Mrs Kilimo’s candidature and that of a number of women civic candidates in 2002, adds: “She is well respected as a result of her work among grassroots communities.”

Her views are echoed by Ms Daisy Amdany, programmes coordinator and board member of the Women’s Political Alliance. She explains that the ninth parliament has given visibility not only to women’s issues but to the issues that ordinary Kenyan men and women hold dear: “They have proved that although they are few in number, they more than make up for their numerical weakness by being issues-oriented and they have a reputation for delivering on their word.”

The Women’s Political Alliance seeks to increase women’s political representation at the national, district and local levels and their involvement in economic decision-making processes.

Fresh start
The battle-hardened Mrs Seii, who has thrice unsuccessfully tried to unseat Keiyo South MP Nicholas Biwott, will be making another attempt in what dramatically changed circumstances. Her political nemesis is no longer the feared political operator with connections to State House, even though he retains immense wealth. After four years as Kenya’s High Commissioner to South Africa and a long period as head of ECWD, Mrs Seii is more than ready for battle. Mrs Seii is an old, trusted ally of President Kibaki.

Many other women who made credible runs in 2002, such as Lorna Laboso in Sotik, are expected to be on the ballot. But the most exciting prospects, by the far, will be the women who shall be trying to capture leadership for the first time across the province.

Kalenjin elders in Baringo North are increasingly listening to Ms Martha Jemunge Chelal, who is seeking to unseat MP William Boit. Already enjoying the support of the majority of sitting male councilors and contesting in a constituency that has a high number of registered female voters, Ms Chelal is considered a front-runner.

“The people are actively looking for women leaders they can vote in,” says Ms Amdany. “I wish more women would come out to vie for elective posts in Baringo North because women voters are saying they are ready to support one of their own this time.”

Just what are the women aspirants offering? Many of the women aspirants have little money and – going by Kenya’s electioneering culture – are likely targets of violence. Despite these obstacles, as well as lacking national visibility, the women who would lead Rift Valley and Kenya are undaunted.

“The lack of money is a hindrance to the candidature of all aspirants, regardless of whether or not they are novices,” says Ms Amdany. “But what is so refreshing about the women aspirants in much of Rift Valley is their rapport and a connection to the communities whose votes there are wooing.”

Young and restless
At 29 years, Caroline Ruto is well into the race for Chepalungu against incumbent John Koech, the Minister for East African Cooperation. She is banking on the youth vote to buoy her chances for victory. And it seems that she is onto something. Electoral Commission of Kenya statistics as at January 2007 showed 50,237 registered voters for Chepalungu. Young people between 18 and 25 were 6,681 while those between 26 and 30 were 10,119.

Although she begun her groundwork early, her foray into politics has not been a cakewalk.
Her father was recently killed in circumstances she claims are linked to ominous scare-tactics meant to throw her off the trail: “Kalenjin society has a strong belief in men as leaders and as a woman, this is a barrier I am going to have to overcome as I attempt to wrest the Chepalungu seat,” she says.
Although the Electoral Code of Conduct bans all forms of violence, intimidation, blackmail, abuse of offices of authority and misuse of state resources by any campaigning side and voter bribery in all its forms, the ECK has not been empowered to punish breaches.

Another youthful contestant is 27-year-old Winnie Koima, who intends to take on Mr Musa Sirma in Eldama Ravine. Running under the banner of Chama cha Uzalendo, Ms Koima wants to tap into the latent power and resourcefulness of the youth.

“Most youth have no skills or training, and I want to see more polytechnics and other basic training facilities,” says Ms Koima, “I also want access for youth to micro-finance institutions and products in order to create the impetus for transformative social change.”

Of the 11 contesters so far for the Turkana South parliamentary seat, only one is female. Beatrice Askul Moe is a 29-year old social sciences graduate.

“The incumbent, Francis Ewaton has been the MP for the past 15 years and I represent the change of guard that Turkana South is ready for,” says Ms Askul Moe.

Turkana district, the largest in Kenya, has borne the brunt of cattle rustling, famine and a continuous struggle by the people to access basic needs such as clean and safe drinking water, food security and health care.

At first, she was apprehensive about being floored by cultural attitudes that do not favour boldness in a woman, but in her own words: “I am amazed at how eager my constituents are to embrace my leadership.”

She wants to deal with the issues of marginalisation and her community lagging behind the rest of Kenya in development.

Tried and tested
Experience and education are also on show in Rift Valley as women seek their rightful place in leadership.

Dr Sally Kosgei, a career civil servant who rose to head that edifice and reform it, is eyeing the Aldai seat in Nandi. Former long serving Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation chairperson Zippo rah Kittony is also expected to make a play for the Cherangany seat, held by Agriculture minister Kipruto Kirwa. Mrs Kittony was instrumental in mobilising women to vote for Kanu during the 1997 General Election and was subsequently nominated by the party to Parliament.

In Bureti, Ms Edna Bore, 54, is keen to unseat incumbent MP Paul Sang. Ms Bore, 54, holds an education degree and has a passion for entrepreneurship and activities that uplift the living standards of her people.
“I am concerned about the plummeting standards of education in my constituency,” she says. “In 2006, the district posted only one plain A in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations.”
She is keen to see parents and their children turn around the district’s scores in school examinations. “I want to cultivate a reading culture in my constituency and one way is to set up community libraries so that people have access to books, and the Internet,” she adds.

Although the field is already crowded, Ms Bore is undeterred: “My heart is in the right place and people in Bureti are not prepared to settle for the mundane,” she observes. “I will not let them down.” The constituency has 54,254 registered voters.

Prof Helen Sambili, wife to Planning Permanent Secretary Edward Sambili, is running for the Mogotio seat.

Obstacles
The cultural attitudes and biases that define Kenya are alive the province as elsewhere – especially with regard to women.

Where the community has found women’s leadership novel, the candidates spouses have stepped forward to offer support, such as in the case of Mr Chelaite, Mr Seii and Engineer Kilimo.

Others have not been so lucky, though. In 2002, while Mrs Liza Chelule was tipped to win the Kuresoi seat until former President Moi visited the constituency on the eve of the election poured cold water on her dreams by using parables to belittle her political ambitions.

Mr Moi, who made various stop-overs, was quoted as asking the local elders who turned up to receive him why they had decided to vote for a woman “as if there were no sons to take up such leadership role”.

Mr Moi’s campaign for the incumbent Mr Moses Cheboi of Kanu shattered her aspirations. Mrs Chelule is offering herself for candidature hoping that this time the turbulent political waves would favour her but the political realignments taking place in the corridors of power are yet to settle before she can declare on which political party vessel to board.

As matters stand, Mr Moi is not a factor to ignore: “He holds sway over people and his word is powerful, but William Ruto, the MP for Eldoret North commands a steady following among the younger generation both nationally and in his home province,” says Ms Amdany.

With 3,381,891 registered voters, Rift Valley Province is a veritable hunting ground for political parties seeking a decisive victory in this year’s General Election, and the women’s vote is a large chunk of that.
Battles for presidential, parliamentary and civic seats are expected to be bruising, and Rift Valley’s cosmopolitan makeup is expected to not only give an edge to those who secure it, but also mirror the rest of Kenya in the way it votes. 

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